As the wife and business partner of celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, Gelila Assefa Puck co-owns popular celebrity-frequented restaurants such as Spago and Cut in Los Angeles.
Although she is deeply rooted in the culinary world, she is equally involved in the arts and is a supporter of institutions and artists in both Los Angeles and Ethiopia, where she was born. Puck, 53, is also an avid collector of works from Ethiopia.
Being creative director of her company with Wolfgang is another title she holds – Puck is behind the aesthetics of Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant empire worldwide. Her most recent project is a collaboration with renowned architect Frank Gehry to design a yet-to-be-named Pacific Highway waterfront restaurant.
More ▼: “King Bond” Bill Gross is selling his stamp collection, with one expected to fetch up to $5 million
Puck lives in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles with her family, which includes her chef husband and the couple’s two teenage sons. She shares a few of her favorite things with Penta.
Advertisement – Scroll to continue
Ethiopia is special because… it’s home. It’s a place that taught me to prioritize family values and humility. The rich culture and landscapes, the historical sites, the bond that the locals have with each other, the food that is meant to be shared, making our bonds even deeper – I could go on and on about why I love my country so much.
The artists I like to collect are… people using their environment to have a bigger conversation, whether it’s about politics, the human race, current events, or families. Sable Elise Smith is an emerging young African-American artist who provokes meaningful conversation. For example, she paints about violence in prisons, which prompts a conversation about how prisoners are treated. I’m also a fan of Glenn Ligon, an artist from New York, because he expresses the systematic racism that happens in America through his art.
My favorite Ethiopian artists are… Awol Erizku because he is a contemporary artist pushing the boundaries of his photography; Julie Mertu, who creates geometric paintings and images about African liberation; and Dawit Abebe.
Advertisement – Scroll to continue
My advice for displaying art is… to display it anywhere in your home – the bathroom, the hallways, the kitchen, the living room, the office. The art gives me so much pleasure that I even have it in my closet. It’s not just for others to see. Don’t hold back from showing off the art you have.
Art galleries I recommend in Los Angeles include… Regen Projects, a space that has a great eye for finding amazing emerging and established artists, and Bank of Vices.
The best art museums in the world are… The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Louvre in Paris and the California African American Museum in LA
Advertisement – Scroll to continue
Wolfgang’s and my most frequented restaurant is… Cut Beverly Hills because I love steak. I get Tomahawk, French fries, Brussels sprouts and a nice red wine like Bordeaux or Burgundy. Wolfgang and I built it together, so it’s very special to me.
The restaurants we visit besides ours are… Angelini Osteria on Beverly Boulevard. It’s authentic Italian food done right, and we’ve been going there for over two decades. It’s a Los Angeles institution. As for sushi, it’s Matsuhisa—Wolfgang is good friends with Nobu, who owns it, and it’s the first restaurant we went to after I had my son over 18 years ago.
My favorite dish that Wolfgang makes for me is… scrambled eggs with white truffles.
Advertisement – Scroll to continue
More ▼: Miami’s members-only club lets hypercar owners ride at top speed — and has a 200-strong waiting list
My preference for Ethiopian food is… kitfo, raw steak tartare dipped in butter and spices.
The family dinner we all love to eat is… my Spaghetti Bolognese and the beef schnitzel the Wolf makes.
Apart from art, I also love… reading fascinating books by authors like Jane Olson. I just finished her book Citizen of the World, The Travels of a Humanitarian about her journey through visiting dark places in the world like refugee camps. I can’t get enough of Agatha Christie either.
